Auld Lang Cuisine

[liz2041]

I am not sure we can call it a "restaurant", but I just walked past Garrett's on M Street and it is closed. I haven't been in a couple of decades, but my 18 year old self in her pegged jeans, oversized jcrew sweater and gigantic bangs shed a small tear.

[cjreid]

I have great memories of the popovers at the Watergate Inn ... seafood at the Market Inn ... also a restaurant located on Buzzard's Point (don't recall the name) ... the Rotunda on Capitol Hill was popular for awihle

[hopsing]

I miss:

• Speedy Gonzalez in Ballston - I've never had as good an empanada since
  
• Roma in Cleveland Park - great pizza and nice outdoor eating area with grape vines
  
• Aegean Taverna in Clarendon - food wasn't great but sit outside on a Saturday night amidst the grape vines and listening to a live Greek band, you felt transported to Santorini.
  
• Sette Bello in Clarendon - I don't know why this place didn't get the love. Their seafood linguini was aces.
  
• Scholl's Cafeteria on K Street -- solid go-to place for wholesome food. Great pies!
  
• Omega in Adams Morgan -- morsels of pork, how I miss you.
  
• Le Pied de Cochon in Georgetown - place to go for white wine and onion soup
  
• Ruby Restaurant in Chinatown - old style Cantonese restaurant, the kind I grew up with
  

[porcupine]

During a disappointing dinner at a Latin American restaurant, I heard "The Girl From Ipanema", and started pining for Doña Flor, which was awful by the time it closed, but for the first few years was excellent. Oh, for a good Brazilian (Bahian, really) restaurant. sigh.

[The Hersch]

A conversation lifted from the Odeon Cafe thread, early 2007:

Waitman, on Jan 11 2007, 09:02 PM, said:

Odeon came in after 1984, because it was after Mrs. B and I had moved from Logan to Dupont. It was preceded by a little French Bistro which was clearly before its time.

I said:

Do you remember the name? I remember a pretty good little French place along there, but it wasn't in that space, it was in the space later occupied by whatever the name of the Petitto place was, and later by Alero, which I guess is still there (?). I can't remember the name of the French place, but I think it was where I first had cold calf brains with sauce ravigote.

Waitman said:

I don't recall the name. This place was in at the same time Petitto was still offering the briefly legendary antepasto bar, so it was apparantly not your calf's brain spot.

I still can't remember what was in Odeon's space before Odeon, but I recently stumbled across a Washington Dossier magazine from February 1981, which reveals that Le Manouche, my French calf's brain spot, occupied space at 1724 Connecticut, currently occupied by Alero, with Petitto (and perhaps others) in between.

From the Dossier:

Le Manouche

The setting is of rustic, rough wood and

tablecloths, the service spirited and eager, and the

food superlative. From the wide ranging menu, you

can choose delicacies such as Salmon in Champagne

Sauce, Veal Medallion with imported

Morels, or Mousse of Sole with Lobster Sauce. Be

sure to reserve room for cheesecake - a superlative,

creamy cheesecake with a light wash of raspberry

sauce. Located just above Dupont Circle, and convenient

to Metro. Reservations suggested.

1724 Conn.Ave., NW, Washington. 462-8771. Lunch

Mon.-Fri. 11:30-2:30. Dinner Mon.-Sat. 5:30-11.

The Washington Dossier was an appalling publication, but this tidbit scratched a persistent itch for me. Le Manouche charmed me greatly in the distant day. Apparently there is or used to be a restaurant of the same name in Rockville, which might or might not be related to the Dupont Circle cervelle de veau emporium.

I see there's a project afoot to load all of the issues of the Washington Dossier (1975 to 1990) on to this website. Appalling as it was, this could turn out to be an interesting, even valuable resource for those, like me, interested in not-too-distant local history.

[DonRocks]

The Washington Dossier was an appalling publication, but this tidbit scratched a persistent itch for me. Le Manouche charmed me greatly in the distant day. Apparently there is or used to be a restaurant of the same name in Rockville, which might or might not be related to the Dupont Circle cervelle de veau emporium.

I see there's a project afoot to load all of the issues of the Washington Dossier (1975 to 1990) on to this website. Appalling as it was, this could turn out to be an interesting, even valuable resource for those, like me, interested in not-too-distant local history.

Sally Quinn Forced To Dine With Non-Fake Friends (*)

You know, maybe it says a lot about me, but until ten minutes ago, I wasn't even sure who Sally Quinn was.

(*) From what I gather, this all seems vaguely related to Stephen Shaw writing a set guidelines about food blogger ethics.

These restaurant ads are great. The Carvery!

[Kibbee Nayee]

Well, the ones I miss the most....

New Orleans Emporium in Adams Morgan, to this day the best Creole/Cajun food I've eaten in this area. Upstairs at the bar, a DIxie beer, a basket of Cajun Popcorn (batter-fried spicy crawfish tails) and oyster shooters was an excellent eating adventure, and downstairs in the restaurant, the blackened lamb chops were incredible.

Vincenzo was an outstanding Italian seafood restaurant, ahead of its time. In the '80s, there weren't many seafood places at all in DC. Crisfield's was its only competition for good fresh seafood.

And Tony Cheng's Szechuan in Chinatown remains the best Chinatown restaurant I can remember. As I recall, even presidents ate there. I didn't even know what I was eating, but damn, it was good.

[saf]

New Orleans Emporium in Adams Morgan, to this day the best Creole/Cajun food I've eaten in this area.

And the onion rings. They had the ideal onion rings. Total onion ring perfection.

(Oh, wait. That was the New Orleans Cafe, their place around the corner on Columbia Rd, where Pasta Mia is now.)

Edited August 28, 2012 by saf

[The Hersch]

These restaurant ads are great. The Carvery!

Was Cantina d'Italia really closed Saturday and Sunday?

[DC Deb]

Does anyone remember House of Chinese Gourmet on Rockville Pike from the early 80's? They had really good Peking duck.

I can't remember the exact location but it was near where the Bed Bath & Beyond/Staples are now. Back in the day, there was a night club called New York New York.

[porcupine]

^I remember it! But I can't think of where exactly it was. The space that now houses Buy Buy Baby housed Mandarin Inn in the late 80s. Mr P and I went on a lot of dates there. There was another good Chinese restaurant called Four Rivers nearby, on the corner of Rollins Ave and East Jefferson St.

[DonRocks]

^I remember it! But I can't think of where exactly it was. The space that now houses Buy Buy Baby housed Mandarin Inn in the late 80s. Mr P and I went on a lot of dates there. There was another good Chinese restaurant called Four Rivers nearby, on the corner of Rollins Ave and East Jefferson St.

Don't forget House of Chinese Chicken.

[Joe H]

Well, the ones I miss the most....

New Orleans Emporium in Adams Morgan, to this day the best Creole/Cajun food I've eaten in this area. Upstairs at the bar, a DIxie beer, a basket of Cajun Popcorn (batter-fried spicy crawfish tails) and oyster shooters was an excellent eating adventure, and downstairs in the restaurant, the blackened lamb chops were incredible.

Vincenzo was an outstanding Italian seafood restaurant, ahead of its time. In the '80s, there weren't many seafood places at all in DC. Crisfield's was its only competition for good fresh seafood.

And Tony Cheng's Szechuan in Chinatown remains the best Chinatown restaurant I can remember. As I recall, even presidents ate there. I didn't even know what I was eating, but damn, it was good.

I organized 15-20 or more dinners there at one of Szechuan's ten seat banquet tables. First was probably in 1981 or 82. I remember when the Post ranked it as one of the three best restaurants in the city and I thought, justly so.

[Genevieve]

I miss Cafe Dalat in Clarendon -- their cari chay (tofu and vegetable curry) is something I haven't found anywhere else, at least not tasting like Dalat made it, with tender but slightly chewy tofu infused with creamy curry flavor, and vegetables cooked tender-crisp, and glass noodles soaking up the sauce. And they had the best pho in Clarendon.

Hsian Foong in Arlington - home of Hsian Foong chicken (on little styrofoam noodles, in a barely-there red-tinged sauce full of flavor) and perfect sesame broccoli (sigh).

[DonRocks]

I miss Cafe Dalat in Clarendon -- their cari chay (tofu and vegetable curry) is something I haven't found anywhere else, at least not tasting like Dalat made it, with tender but slightly chewy tofu infused with creamy curry flavor, and vegetables cooked tender-crisp, and glass noodles soaking up the sauce. And they had the best pho in Clarendon.

This and Queen Bee now seem like forever ago, don't they? This "event" was only four years ago, and I remember very well them claiming that the storefronts would remain the same (despite a giant building being built on top). Well, they're still the same (albeit shutting down and becoming completely decrepit), but five years from now they won't be - they can't be. Five years in Clarendon Time is forever.

[rockcreek]

This and Queen Bee now seem like forever ago, don't they? This "event" was only four years ago, and I remember very well them claiming that the storefronts would remain the same (despite a giant building being built on top). Well, they're still the same (albeit shutting down and becoming completely decrepit), but five years from now they won't be - they can't be. Five years in Clarendon Time is forever.

You got that right. Those two, Little Viet Garden, Bombay Curry Company, Sugar Shack, the original Roberto Donna il Radicchio; hell, even Bardo Rodeo. Vestiges of my misspent 20s, mainly spent in Arlington.

(To be clear: I don't think anybody actually misses Bardo, but they may miss the idea of Bardo.)

[bookluvingbabe]

Definitely miss the idea of Bardo. And yes, lots of time spent in Arlington back in the day.

[The Hersch]

I walked the length of Connecticut Avenue today, from Lafayette Square to the near end of the Taft Bridge, reminiscing all the way, mostly but not exclusively about food purveyors. Raleigh's, which now stands empty after the liquidation of Filene's Basement. Duke Zeibert's, which I never ate at, ditto Cantina d'Italia, which my sister confirms was indeed closed on Saturdays, as all their business was expense-account trade that dried up on the weekend. Candy's Hardware. Britches of Georgetown. Taj Mahal. Dupont Villa. For some reason the name of the darts pub next door to Dupont Villa eludes me at the moment. Discount Books and Records. National Bank of Washington. Rascals. Remember when Connecticut Avenue Liquors and Melody Records swapped locations? I think it was in the late 1980s. The liquor store has changed hands at least once, and is greatly altered. Melody Records is still represented by its signage, but the interior of the shop is now empty and very sad looking. I don't know when they closed, but I've wondered for a long time how they managed to hang on with their obsolete paradigm. There used to be two coffee stores on that block. I don't remember their names, but one of them was owned by the same family that used to own the liquor store. Vesuvio's. Vincenzo. The Childe Harold. The Junkanoo. The Talbots. The Benbow, which I have missed almost every day since it closed, or at least so it seems. The Crystal City, subsequently Cafe Rabelais. The Janus Theater. Schwartz's Drugstore. Gaylord. Larimer's. Anna-Maria. Le Manouche and Ristorante Pettito (or Petitto? I never remember how many t's go where). The Cold Duck. Tokyo Sukiyaki. Food for Thought. I made a brief detour on to S Street, passing by where Paru's once served up some of the best vegetarian south Indian food I've ever had, and at bargain prices. The old Secret Safeway location on 20th Street has been vacant ever since the Town House closed, years ago now, but there's an ABC application posted in the windows of the place. Apparently there's going to be some kind of fancy grocery selling beer and wine and, well, fancy groceries. The business is called "New Market", although I imagine that will not necessarily be the name of the shop. Does anyone remember the name of the bar that was in the large brick mansion on the southwest corner of 20th and S Streets? It was only there for a few years, in the late 70s. The building now proclaims itself the "Laogai Museum", which relates to the forced-labor camps in communist China. And how about the long-time Chinese restaurant that used to be where the Washington Sports Club is now, in a one-story structure between the Universal (South) and Universal North buildings, between Florida and T? Was it the Empress? I never ate there.

Today was a remarkably beautiful day. My promenade made a happy man feel very old.

[Joe H]

Is the Old Stein still there on Connecticut? I would take girls there because it was dark, downtown and they didn't card. For those reading this consider that the girls I took are probably grandmothers today since I am talking about the...mid '60's. Anna Maria's was the alternative but it lacked the ambience of the Old Stein. Better pizza than we could find in the suburbs, however. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the restaurant in the mansion.

On a serious note I also remember 21 Federal as well as Kinkead's. Some of the wine from Le Pavilion is probably still on the wine list at the Inn at Little Washington which bought them out. Lion D'ior was once considered the city's second best (to Jean Louis).

I also remember that drum circles started here in the late '60's. Of course this was also during the nightly tear gassing at Dupont circle during the Vietnam war. Hard to believe that I was once a very vocal anti war protester and, in the same sentence, note that I retired from my business career last week.

Forty plus years pass quicker than one would think. The Hersch, sir, you are very, very young.

I had a number of good nights at the Old Stein...

The fiftieth reunion of Montgomery Blair '64 is now less than two years away.

Unbelievable.

[The Hersch]

Is the Old Stein still there on Connecticut?

I take it you're joking. The Old Stein was before my time, and I go back a way. I see it was at 1339 Connecticut Avenue, which would have put it just south of where The Big Hunt is now. Not sure exactly which spot.

I also remember that drum circles started here in the late '60's. Of course this was also during the nightly tear gassing at Dupont circle during the Vietnam war.

I was never gassed in Dupont Circle. I was gassed at the Washington Monument grounds. I don't remember which demonstration.

Forty plus years pass quicker than one would think. The Hersch, sir, you are very, very young.

It's nice to be younger than someone.

The fiftieth reunion of Montgomery Blair '64 is now less than two years away.

I was Wakefield '70. Old enough.

[Joe H]

My wife was Wakefield '64.

[turbogrrl]

My husband's parents had their first date at Schwartz's Drugstore, but I don't think they ever go to that Starbucks for anniversaries.

[DonRocks]

The fiftieth reunion of Montgomery Blair '64 is now less than two years away.

Unbelievable.

You've lived a long, full, life, Joe Heflin. You've done many things, and have achieved just about everything (being President, a billionaire, royalty - those are reserved for people who specifically want them and spend their lives gunning for them). You have a lot to be proud of, and have done about as much as anyone. Most importantly, you have people - family and friends - who love you, and will remember you long after you're gone. Your words here will remain for posterity to find.

Congratulations to you, and there's more to come, too. At this point, it's all gravy.

Best,

Rocks

[Joe H]

Garlic and or bleu cheese mashed potatoes to embellish the gravy. At a fiftieth reunion I wonder how many will be on diets that will not allow them to eat any of this?

And, for the first time ever, my wife and I discovered Fort Washington today. Simply the most beautiful view in the D. C. area. Serious. Worthy of another thread as is the Proud Mary restaurant in Fort Washington harbor...

[Joe H]

It's a bakery so my guess is rent needs to be under 40 psf.

Needs parking. Yes retail needs parking

Needs daytime workers

Needs residential for weekends and holidays

In no particular order:

Spring valley

Dupont circle

cathedral commons (new giant food project macomb st)

Bethesda not Bethesda row. Old section

Pike and rose Rockville md

McLean

Fairfax corner

Potomac md

Is that what they call Wisconsin and Macomb these days, "Cathedral Commons?" I knew it as "near the Zebra Room." "McLean Gardens" was up the street.

[wristband]

"Hsian Foong in Arlington - home of Hsian Foong chicken (on little styrofoam noodles, in a barely-there red-tinged sauce full of flavor) and perfect sesame broccoli (sigh)."

Oh Genevieve, that is sheer poetry. I dearly miss Hsian Foong & its sister incarnation on Wilson Blvd. the glorious Hunan Regent. The Ma family were kind folks but it was the pater familias who was the star - chef but not just a chef. He was a master, a genius, a bushedo warrior wielding giant Ginzu knives, slaving over multiple woks, cranking out mouth watering Chinese delicacies. I loved that man's cooking.

Any one here know where the family hightailed it to? HF is long gone (as is the next door Pollo Rico in that original spot by Ollie's Trolley) and Hunan Regent morphed into Minh's. I would follow that Hunan Regent chef anywhere. Seriously. Please post, let me know and I am out the door, skid marks in the drive, hell bent on savoring & slurping Shanghai Noodle, Kung Pao, lo mein, Singapore Noodle, Fried Two Kind... Thomas Wolfe, be damned!

[Sthitch]

Not a restaurant but I miss Morton honey buns - just another reason to hate ConAgra.

[DonRocks]

Thinking about the transfer of Ray's The Classics, I am becoming misty-eyed thinking about my own parents who purchased their house in White Oak in 1955, and lived in downtown Silver Spring, mere blocks away from Ray's The Classics, since the late 1940s (yes, their apartment building on Colesville Road is still standing). My parents were the rare breed of couple that kept becoming closer and closer as they got older, especially when my father slowly began to succumb to the ravages of smoking which wasn't his fault - it isn't like he didn't try to quit (which he finally did, but that's another story).

Every Friday night, without exception, my mom and dad - active for decades in the Montgomery County Public Schools system, would get us three kids a baby sitter (dear old Nang Schwartz, who lived on Hollywood Avenue right by the Hollywood Market), and go on a dinner-date. Every Friday night, without fail. It was their one evening alone, as boyfriend and girlfriend, when the other six evenings were devoted towards sacrificing themselves to raising their kids. They would inevitably go to dinner and a movie, except for the times when they'd go to the BurnBrae dinner theater, or The VIlla Rosa, or Toby's - they loved dinner theater, even cheap dinner theater. They'd go to Leone's, Capri, Luau Hut, Peter Pan (although this was usually reserved for family Thanksgiving when grandma could no longer host us in Brunswick), an occasional splurge at Crisfield, Fred & Harry's, Bish Thompsons, O'Donnell's, always home by midnight so our kind, unappreciated (by us bratty kids) sitter could get home to her husband at a reasonable hour (and yes, we scoundrels would always fake being asleep). This was their idea of Post WWII-Nirvana, the luxury of being able to dine out once a week, coming home in their Mercury Marquis Brougham to their air-conditioned three-bedroom home in the suburbs with its color TV, La-Z-Boy recliner, and yes, second mortgage, so they could pay for our college education which would leave them in debt until the very last few years of their lives when they finally crawled out. (Can you tell they're both my heroes?)

My parents would have loved Ray's The Classics together. It would have been their favorite restaurant, and it makes me sad that they never got a chance to try it as a couple. My dad would have raved about the steaks, and my mom (with her one-drink capacity) would had insisted they find some way to put André Crackling Rosé on the menu so she could have it with their terrific seafood bisque. Damn it sucks they're gone, but boy am I glad Ray's is still around. And, the happy ending is that I indeed took my mom here for special occasions a good 2-3 times and sure enough, she loved it. And she loved Michael, too.

[porcupine]

Temptations ice cream in Rockville. They made unusual flavors for restaurants (ginger, mango, coconut); sometimes they weren't on display but if you knew to ask for them you coild get them.

[DonRocks]

Temptations ice cream in Rockville. They made unusual flavors for restaurants (ginger, mango, coconut); sometimes they weren't on display but if you knew to ask for them you coild get them.

Where were they? This is one of those places that "sound familiar," but I'm not sure at all that I've ever seen them.

[porcupine]

the little strip mall at the northwest corner of W Montgomery Ave and N Washington St. Around the corner from Bombay Bistro, which I also miss. Yes it's still there, but it ain't what it was when it was new.

[DaveO]

I really should have remembered Gusti's. When the building came down, there was a plaque put up placed on the new building. I will have to check to see if it was still there. Anna Maria's was one of those place's that always looked more pretentious than it actually was. The Cantina was probably the first upscale Italian restaurant in the District, Northern Italian rather than Sicilian. Of course, none were "Famous" as Luigi's was.

Gusti's was one of a number of restaurants operated by Gusti Buttinelli.   He operated different restaurants at various times, bought and owned properties in DC that became tremendously valuable, but possibly most generously helped a number of his employees to get in the restaurant business in DC.  He passed away in the late 1970's.  During the 1980's I met several restaurateurs of that time who all vouched for him and acknowledged he helped them get started.   Every time I heard his name it was always with affection and praise.

I found this reference to Gusti in this selection from google books:   link

It appears the book it comes from should make for interesting reading about DC's restaurant history:  http://www.amazon.com/Historic-Restaurants-Washington-D-C-American/dp/1626191263

[DonRocks]

Four Corners when the Top's Drive Inn preceded Geno's (as in Geno Marchetti's) and Fred and Harry's was next door to the Pizza Kitchen.  Don's going to have an opinion on this...

I'm too young to remember Top's Drive Inn or The Pizza Kitchen - did the latter become Fran's Country Kitchen? Now, Geno's, that's another story - I used to love it, but don't remember why - didn't they have a "Quarter Pound Sirloiner," and some form of "Kentucky Fried Chicken" (I remember they had a "bucket" and a "barrel"). When I was a kid, my parents got a barrel of Geno's chicken and a pizza from Sammy's Villa one year for my birthday - now, that was awesome.

[Joe H]

I'm too young to remember Top's Drive Inn or The Pizza Kitchen - did the latter become Fran's Country Kitchen? Now, Geno's, that's another story - I used to love it, but don't remember why - didn't they have a "Quarter Pound Sirloiner," and some form of "Kentucky Fried Chicken" (I remember they had a "bucket" and a "barrel"). When I was a kid, my parents got a barrel of Geno's chicken and a pizza from Sammy's Villa one year for my birthday - now, that was awesome.

I think this is accurate:  sometime after the Colts won the NFL championship in 1958 (!) both Alan Amerche and Geno Marchetti opened restaurants in Baltimore.  Ameche's was called "Ameche's Powerhouse" and Geno's was, "Geno's."  (Sometime after this Johnny Unitas opened "The Golden Arm" on York road in Towson which I actually went to, several times, in the early '70's.)  I think all of these were in part sponsored/financed by their relationship with the Colts.  Geno's was the most successful-by far which had the KFC connection.

Sammy's "pizza villa" in White Oak actually had decent pizza.  Do you remember Louie, Jr. in the Blair Park shopping center?  Both introduced a kind of NY style pie to Montgomery county.

This really brings back memories that I am sure perhaps two or three people reading this will even have the vaguest idea of what we are talking about.

But I have a fifty (!) year reunion this year and I think those who went to Blair with me will all have fond memories of both.  Something should also be said for Pop's on Henderson avenue in Wheaton, too.  And your comments on Luigi's on 18th street are well taken.  These were the big deal dates when I had money in high school....

[johnb]

This really brings back memories that I am sure perhaps two or three people reading this will even have the vaguest idea of what we are talking about.

Being of a certain age myself (my 50th HS reunion was a couple of years ago), I remember Geno's, and one of my favorite coupon stories happened in a Geno's, near old Exit 4 of the NJ Turnpike I believe.  My ex and I used to stop there while on the way to visit her folks in NYC.  On one occasion, around Christmas, they were doing a gift book of coupons at a discount.  We ordered, and while waiting I was reading their little sign for the deal, and realized I could buy the coupon book, use it on the spot, and save on our order.  So that's what I did.  The kid behind the counter was happy to sell the book to me, but completely flummoxed when he gave me the bill for the order and, instead of cash, I handed him the book back.  The look on his face was, as they say, priceless.

[Joe H]

John, if we lived even remotely close to each other, everyday around 6 or 6:30 we would have to review considerations of the Western World and whether or not progress had been made towards the assumed goal.

Or to the unassumed goal.

With a glass or two to enhance our review...

[dwt]

For old-fart context, my 40th H.S. reunion, which I did not attend if indeed it happened, was 2 years ago. I had completely forgotten about Geno's and the fact that they served chicken. One miserable summer, circa 1972, I worked at the one on Rt 355 in Gaithersburg. It was across from a Red Barn (anyone recall that fine fast food establishment?). I have few pleasant memories of my stint at Gino's, aside from a handful of amiable colleagues. If I remember correctly, the chicken was deep-fried in pressure cookers filled with grease (I still harbor an irrational fear of pressure cookers). Suffered a bad burn on the top of my left foot one evening when some of that grease splashed out of the pot while I was loading it up with chicken pieces. Have to admit, to a teenaged boy's unsophisticated palate, the chicken tasted pretty good. 

[DonRocks]

It was across from a Red Barn (anyone recall that fine fast food establishment?).

They had commercials with singing muppet-like fast-food items ("I'm a Hamburger Hungry ... I can hit you really hard," etc.)

ETA - Found! See the second video.

[saf]

It was across from a Red Barn (anyone recall that fine fast food establishment?).

For geographic context, I grew up just outside of Rochester NY. The former Red Barn building still stands, I think. Last I looked anyhow. Something else is it there now though. It was/is on Ridge Rd, just west of Dewey Avenue? This is the only Red Barn I am aware of. (My husband remembers Red Barn too. He grew up in Bucks County PA. Says it was in Morrisville.)

This is where I learned to have a backbone. We didn't eat out a lot. And I was a shy kid (Those of you who know me IRL may laugh now.) I was about 5 I think? Maybe 4.

I got fried chicken. It had feathers still on it! FEATHERS! This was traumatic.

I said to Mom, "This chicken has feathers!" Mom said, "Well, take it back and tell them that." So I did.

They laughed at me, and this really upset me. Then they took away my chicken and brought me new chicken. So that was ok.

It was diagonally across from a Carrol's.

[BookGuy]

I don't know where else to put it, but today's Washington Post printed an obituary of the last owner of Sholl's Cafeteria, a chain that existed in Washington, from the 1960's until it closed at 20th and K in 2001.  It was what Bruce Jay Friedman would call the perfect "lonely guy" restaurant, decent cheap food and a well lit place.  When I came to Washington, Sholl's had two sites, one on 15th and K and one on Connecticut Avenue just below L.  The Connecticut Avenue location was moved to 20th and K.  I also recall during the late 70's and early 80's, there was a location in Rosslyn on North Lynn Street just down the block from Wilson Boulevard.

Evan Sholl, the founder, was a Catholic convert, and he took it seriously as all the tables had little cards noting that "Religion and Patriotism make this a great place to work."  I understood that clergy of all faiths were allowed to eat free and, although Sholl's did serve a lot of school groups, I never saw busloads of Jesuits from Georgetown coming to eat.

Most of the cafeterias are gone now, replaced by fast food places that a quicker than a food line.  Still, Sholl's is a fond memory of a time when I had less money to eat than I do now.

[DonRocks]

hese came from Tar river North Carolina.  I saw plenty of shad at Reading Terminal in late January, not sure where they came from.  Provení§al culinary folklore makes charming, though disputed, claims that slow cooking the shad for 6-12 hours stuffed with sorrel  (oxalic acid) and in brandy melts the bird's nest of 400+ tiny secondary bones (much like pickling softens herring bones) but the results were discouraging and left discomfort in the craw.  The "y" shaped pin bones are as remarkable a choking hazard as they are irritatingly baffling. 

One set of roe doesn't have a practical yield so the sacks were opened up,  the eggs cured like caviar and used to baste the garnish.  The flesh was picked through and fish cakes were made; a somewhat common practice in Virginia 50+ years ago when canned shad roe was still available and the shad still plentiful.

Julien's post rekindled an old Fred & Harry's memory. Fred & Harry's was a 50s-era seafood restaurant in Four Corners (of the Anchor Inn / Bish Thompson's variety) that had a bright yellow sign outdoors with replaceable black plastic letters on it - once, when I was a child, it said: "Now Playing: Shad & Shad Roe," and I of course thought it was a band.

[ktmoomau]

nd the days when Eleventh Street Lounge existed seems like ages ago, given the changes in Clarendon.  (And by the way, has anyone heard what might be headed to the ground level of that new building?  There's a huge street level space with lots of windows.  A new restaurant?)

No idea, but man I miss Eleventh Street Lounge.  I feel like I am starting to be an Arlington old-timer.

[DonRocks]

No idea, but man I miss Eleventh Street Lounge.  I feel like I am starting to be an Arlington old-timer.

Wow, I forgot he was even there.

Speaking of Arlington old-timers, does anyone remember Blue & Gold? That was my go-to spot in the late 1990s for a burger and a beer, and it was *good*, too. It's hard to believe that was just fifteen short years ago, and I'll bet over 75% of Clarendon residents have never heard of that place (which I *think* might be Lyon Hall now; I'm not sure, exactly, but it was around there).

When this website was founded (actually, come to think of it, we just "celebrated" our 9th anniversary, and I didn't even realize it until I was typing this sentence!), there *were* no places in the DC area to get beer. Thor Cheston pioneered it at Birreria Paradiso in Georgetown, and then Brasserie Beck eventually came along, but there was nothing before 2005. And I mean *nothing* unless you want to include places like The Brickskeller. Truly, the changes that have occurred in just ten years are unimaginable on the beer front.

What's really cool is that things have changed so much since this website was founded, that we've become a meaningful repository of history. There is *so much data* here (which, granted, won't even buy me a cup of coffee, but still, it's here if anyone needs to do research).

[RWBooneJr]

I loved Blue & Gold, which is now Mr. Day's. If you go up to the second floor balcony, you can still see some remnants of the parrot theme from the B&G days.

[Josh Radigan]

Blue and Gold's location is what Mister Days is today. Pretty solid place but unfortunately it was around pre-clarendon rush. It used to be that you either went there or the Clarendon Grill. Now knowing that if my memory serves me correctly the original Mister Days used to be in alley way, in between 18th and 19th streets, between M and N streets. I think you could actually walk in to Samatha's which was on N Street, and walk out the back door and into the alley way to get to Mister Days.

[RWBooneJr]

The City Sports on 19th between M and L is in the space that used to be Mr. Day's when it was downtown. The entrance was indeed in the back, through an alley.

[DonRocks]

I loved Blue & Gold, which is now Mr. Day's. If you go up to the second floor balcony, you can still see some remnants of the parrot theme from the B&G days.

Blue and Gold's location is what Mister Days is today. Pretty solid place but unfortunately it was around pre-clarendon rush. It used to be that you either went there or the Clarendon Grill. Now knowing that if my memory serves me correctly the original Mister Days used to be in alley way, in between 18th and 19th streets, between M and N streets. I think you could actually walk in to Samatha's which was on N Street, and walk out the back door and into the alley way to get to Mister Days.

Indeed, it is now Mister Days, and yes, Mister Days was in an alley, and back in the mid 1980s, they even had this annual plastic-cup alcohol-fest that spilled over outdoors called "Rally in the Alley" which was one of "the things" to do if you were a rabble-rouser in your 20s (which I was).

I'd get hammered at Rally in the Alley, have 2 AM pizza at Nino's (which was *the best* pizza in the city), and then muster the strength to put on a coat and tie and have dinner at Le Lion d'Or the next night. Man, I have done it all.

[RWBooneJr]

At the time, that part of downtown was called Midtown, because it really was the middle of the city (the neighborhood is still called "Midtown" in DCDiningGuide). If you tell people now that there was nothing east of 11th Street and Dupont was an unfashionable neighborhood (which is how it came to be home to a disenfranchised population), they look at you like you're nuts.

[cheezepowder]

I could have sworn Blue & Gold was where Mad Rose Tavern is.  Did the Mad Rose Tavern space and the Mr. Days space used to be one big space? 

[stupidusername]

Mad Rose space was not a restaurant immediately before becoming Mad Rose, but I suppose it could have been a restaurant and then something else and changed back.